COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Drake University freshman Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) has accepted an invitation to attend the 2017 USA Basketball Women's U19 World Cup Team trials May 18-21 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball announced Wednesday, May 3. Invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee. Athletes eligible for this team must be 19 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998) and U.S. citizens.
 
Hittner continued the impressive run of Bulldogs who contribute immediately in their first season. The local product from Dowling Catholic, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and to the All-MVC First team, averaged 12.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6 percent from behind the three-point arc, 53.2 percent from the floor and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line. Her three-point, shooting and free throw percentages ranked first, third and fourth, respectively, in the MVC. Additionally, Hittner's scoring and rebounding totals ranked ninth and 11^th while her 2.2 assists per game ranked 15^th.
 
"It's a really humbling feeling to have been chosen to try out for this team," said Hittner. "I can't wait to get out there and compete with some of the best players in the country at my age, and possibly have the chance to represent the United States. I'm super excited for this opportunity!"
 
Nine gold medalists from the 2016 USA U18 National Team that qualified USA Basketball for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup for Women are among the 33 of the nation's top 19-and-unders who accepted invitations to the trials.
 
"These athletes represent the top talent our country has to offer at this age level," said George Washington University head coach Jennifer Rizzotti, chair of the selection committee. "This is a very versatile group that will give the coaching staff a lot of options. They are all tough competitors, and it is not going to be easy for us to pare it down to the final 12-member team. The committee feels we will be able to select from this group a team that will represent the USA well on and off the court, and these athletes have what it takes to win a seventh-straight gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup."
 
Hittner - missed the first four games of the season - but still played in 29 games with 27 starts. She scored in double figures in 23 of those 29 games, including in the last 12 games to close the season. Hittner poured in a career-high 22 points in the win over Missouri State on March 2.
She is the fourth-consecutive Drake player to claim the MVC's Freshman of the Year honor
 
Hittner will be joined at the trials by Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk, who earlier this month was announced as a court coach for the three-day tryout. University of Pittsburgh head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio, who led the 2016 USA U18 National Team to gold, will lead the USA U19 World Cup Team and will again be assisted by collegiate head coaches Kamie Ethridge from the University of Northern Colorado and Charlotte Smith from Elon University. Georgetown head coach Natasha Adair will join Baranczyk as a court coach at the trials.
 
Six-time defending U19 gold medalists, the United States will look to make it seven gold medals in a row at the July 22-30 event in Cividale del Friuli and Udine, Italy.
 
Along with Hittner, accepting invitations to attend the USA U19 World Cup Team trials include: Janelle Bailey (Providence Day School/Matthews, N.C.); Jeannie Boehm (Harvard/Winnetka, Ill.); Chennedy Carter (Timberview H.S./Arlington, Texas); Charli Collier (Barbers Hill H.S./Baytown, Texas); Sidney Cooks (Saint Joseph H.S./Kenosha, Wis.); Mikayla Coombs (Wesleyan School/Norcross, Ga.); Gabby Cooper (Syracuse/Lansing, Ill.); Crystal Dangerfield (Connecticut/Murfreesboro, Tenn.); Shug Dickson (Tulsa/St. Louis, Mo.); Kathleen Doyle (Iowa/LaGrange Park, Ill.); Dana Evans (West Side H.S./Gary, Ind.); Nadia Fingall (Stanford/Navarre, Fla); Tyasha Harris (South Carolina/Noblesville, Ind.); Ruthy Hebard (Oregon/Fairbanks, Alaska); Tamara Henshaw (South Florida/Palm Coast, Fla); Joyner Holmes (Texas/Cedar Hill, Texas); Stephanie Jones (Maryland/Havre de Grace, Md.); Jordan Lewis (Alabama/Windermere, Fla.); Tori McCoy (transfer TBD/Champaign, Ill.); Aarion McDonald (Washington/Fresno, Calif.); Minyon Moore (Southern California/Hercules, Calif.); Kayla Overbeck (Vanderbilt/Newbury Park, Calif.); Sedona Prince (Liberty Hill H.S./Liberty Hill, Texas); Reili Richardson (Arizona State/Brea, Calif.); Kylee Shook (Louisville/Colorado Springs, Colo.); Amber Smith (Missouri/Shreveport, La.); Alecia Sutton (Texas/St. Louis, Mo.); Megan Walker (Monacan H.S./Chesterfield, Va.); Evina Westbrook (South Salem H.S./Salem, Ore.); Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian School/Little Rock, Ark.); Jocelyn Willoughby (Virginia/East Orange, N.J.) and Aaliyah Wilson (Arkansas/Muskogee, Okla.).